Черный тюльпан
The Rival
WehaveseenhowhisimprudenceinfollowingRosaintothegardenhadunmaskedhimintheeyesoftheyoungdamsel,andhowtheinstinctivefearsofCorneliushadputthetwoloversontheirguardagainsthim.
ThereaderwillrememberthatthefirstcauseofuneasinesswasgiventotheprisonerbytherageofJacobwhenGryphuscrushedthefirstbulb.InthatmomentBoxtel’sexasperationwasthemorefierce,as,thoughsuspectingthatCorneliuspossessedasecondbulb,hebynomeansfeltsureofit.
FromthatmomenthebegantododgethestepsofRosa,notonlyfollowinghertothegarden,butalsotothelobbies.
Onlyasthistimehefollowedherinthenight,andbare-footed,hewasneitherseennorheardexceptonce,whenRosathoughtshesawsomethinglikeashadowonthestaircase.
Herdiscovery,however,wasmadetoolate,asBoxtelhadheardfromthemouthoftheprisonerhimselfthatasecondbulbexisted.
TakeninbythestratagemofRosa,whohadfeignedtoputitintheground,andentertainingnodoubtthatthislittlefarcehadbeenplayedinordertoforcehimtobetrayhimself,heredoubledhisprecaution,andemployedeverymeanssuggestedbyhiscraftynaturetowatchtheotherswithoutbeingwatchedhimself.
HesawRosaconveyingalargeflower-potofwhiteearthenwarefromherfather’skitchentoherbedroom.HesawRosawashinginpailsofwaterherprettylittlehands,begrimedastheywerewiththemouldwhichshehadhandled,togivehertulipthebestsoilpossible.
